In the vending of beverages from vending machines, particularly those beverages packaged in cans, bottles, or generally similar symmetrical containers, the display panels of the vending machines involved should perform certain point-of-purchase functions. For example, the nature of the products vended should be instantly apparent to a potential customer. The identity of the source or origin (manufacturer) of the products being vended should be either directly provided or provided by means such as logos or other symbolic means suggestive thereof.
Further, if there is a primary product for which the vending machine has more capacity or for which greater sales volume is desired, the vending machine should be capable of encouraging the selection of this product over the other products (secondary products) present in the machine.
The display panel face should also be capable of containing a utility module or area disposed in an optimum location for viewing and interfacing with the internal electrical controls of the vending machine.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel display panel configuration for vending machines.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel display panel for vending machines by combining the configuration and selective backlighting of panel sections on the obverse face of a vending machine to both directly and symbolically identify the manufacturer (source or orgin) of the products being vended.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide new and novel display panel for vending machines which suggest to a potential customer the packaged configuration of a product to be vended.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel display panel configuration for vending machines which, together with identifying products and the sources of such products, provides an inducement to a customer to purchase a particular primary one of a plurality of products made available by the vending machine bearing that display panel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a utility module area within the display panel of a vending machine making the module suitable for use for point-of-sale advertising, voice synthesized or recorded messages, electronic or video games, coupon dispensers or other suitable equipment.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings which relate to several preferred embodiments of the display panel structure of the invention.